Challenging Fate
by Forlay
Summary: Will another woman create a rift between Miss Bellum and Ms. Keane? (Sequel to 'Secrets and Surprises')
1. New Adventures

_Author's Notes: Woo hoo, I'm back! And, more importantly, Buttercup and Andra are back (for all of you who sent me pestering e-mails wondering when they'd return, lol). There's gonna be lots of twists and turns in this fic, so sit back and read the first chapter of (hopefully) many!_   


Challenging Fate

By: Forlay

Chapter One - New Adventures

"Miss Bellum?"   
Miss Bellum sighed and took off her glasses to massage the bridge of her nose. All this paper work the Mayor had her doing was beginning to take its effect on her eyes. "What is it, Mayor?"   
The Mayor entered her office with a woman trailing behind him. "The intern is here!"   
The woman stepped out from behind the Mayor and approached Miss Bellum's desk. "Hi, I'm Kandy Kane." She put out a hand for Miss Bellum to shake.   
Miss Bellum took the offered hand, though internally she was wincing at the chipperness of this girl. Her name, Miss Bellum already figured, fit her all too well. Kandy had the chipper voice of a cheerleader, and with her brown-sugar colored skin, she looked like she was almost made of candy. "Hi, Kandy. I'm Sara Bellum."   
"I'll be working with you, right?"   
_Unfortunately. . ._ "Yes." Miss Bellum was usually slow to judge people, but Kandy seemed to be one of those people you either instantly liked or disliked. Miss Bellum had known too many people with similar demeanors in her life to have a desire to like this one.   
"I'll leave you two to get acquainted," the Mayor said cheerfully. "It's my lunch time. Bye-bye!" he left through the same door he had just entered.   
Kandy took a seat on the edge of Miss Bellum's cluttered desk. "So, why did you decide to work for the Mayor?"   
"What does that have to do with anything?" Miss Bellum asked absently, actually wanting to go back to her paper work.   
"Well, this _is_ supposed to be an educational experience, isn't it?" Miss Bellum glanced up at the new intern, who was now leaning closer to Miss Bellum, revealing a generous ammount of cleavage. "I'm supposed to be deciding if I really want to work in the government."   
"That's fair enough," Miss Bellum admitted. She leaned back in her chair and began telling Kandy about her history with the Mayor. 

***

Gradually, Kandy's energy caught on in City Hall. Despite Miss Bellum's first impression of her, Kandy was indeed a likable person. She efficiently carried out all the tasks given to her, from making copies, to filing, to getting coffee, and she never complained about any of it. She apparently had a strong desire to work in a law or government office. So before Kandy had been working with her for two weeks, Miss Bellum had developed a casual friendship with the girl. Still, Miss Bellum was surprised when Kandy invited her out one Friday night.   
"Why on Earth would you want to be seen out with me? I'm practically old enough to be your mother." Miss Bellum said.   
Kandy laughed. "You can't be 15 years older than I am. Come on, it's not like a _date_ or anything, just going over to Citysville and getting a drink."   
Kandy's choice of words seemed odd to Miss Bellum, but the status of their excursion mattered less to her than the the destination. "Why do we have to go all the way to Citysville?"   
"'Cause they have the best bars."   
"I really don't think -"   
"That's good," Kandy interrupted. "Don't think. Just go out for one night of fun. It's not like you have a husband to go home to."   
_I have something better_, Miss Bellum thought. She tried to figure out the evening quickly. If she could get through all her paper work by the time Kandy left, she could go out without having to call Sandra. Miss Bellum often stayed late to work on Friday nights, her partner wouldn't miss her. . . .   
"If I finish my paperwork, I go," Miss Bellum said.   
"Yea!" Kandy said, clapping her hands like the cheerleader MIss Bellum now knew she used to be. "Hope you're ready to party!" Miss Bellum wanted to protest; if she was going to get a drink after work, she wanted a quiet one. But Kandy had already scurried off to her next job.   
"This is going to be a long night." 

***

Miss Bellum did get all her work done by five, when Kandy's workday ended. Kandy was waiting out front by an older, but still fashionable, sports car. She wasn't dressed in the sensible suit she'd worn to work. Now she was dressed in black leather pants and a daringly low red, glittery top.   
"Ready to go, Miss Bellum?" Kandy called.   
Miss Bellum suddenly felt apprehensive about going anywhere with Kandy, especially when Kandy was obviously dressed for a party while Miss Bellum, still in her red suit, wasn't dressed for anywhere besides the office.   
Kandy seemed to sense Miss Bellum's hesitation. "You look fine. C'mon, I want to get to Citysville before rush hour."   
Despite her better judgment, Miss Bellum took the steps down to Kandy's car two at a time. She slid into the passenger seat and buckled up while Kandy went around to the driver's seat.   
They left just before rush hour hit, making the trip to the darker, grittier Citysville in under half an hour.   
The bar was on the outskirts of Citysville, meaning the neighborhood was slightly better than that of downtown Citysville.   
Kandy expertly parallel parked in front of a red brick building. "Here we are!"   
Miss Bellum looked out her window at the building, hoping to see a sign with the name of the bar on it. She didn't find it, as she was too preoccupied with the large rainbow gay-pride flag over the door.   
"You took me to a gay bar?" Miss Bellum hissed at Kandy when the girl came over to Miss Bellum's door.   
Kandy suddenly looked uncomfortable. "Um, yeah. Isn't that, I mean, aren't you -"   
"That is besides the point," Miss Bellum said. "I really don't think it'd be appropriate -"   
"This is the most relaxed bar I've ever been in. You don't hook up with a one night stand here. You meet people, talk, dance, flirt. Nothing serious." Kandy gave Miss Bellum a pleading look. "Please?"   
Miss Bellum sighed. "all right. But not for long, right? Just to get a drink or two."   
"Yea!" Kandy opened Miss Bellum's door and offered an arm to the older woman. Kandy was back to acting like a carefree college kid.   
Miss Bellum hesitated, but did take Kandy's arm and allowed herself to be escorted into Citysville's gay bar. 

***

Miss Bellum quietly opened the front door of the home she shared with Ms. Keane. The lights in the house were all off, which was what prompted Miss Bellum to take extra care to be quiet. She'd already slipped off her red pumps outside to be sure she didn't click on the hardwood kitchen floor.   
Her efforts were in vain, however. As soon as the front door shut, the living room lights flicked on.   
"Where have you _been_?" Ms. Keane demanded. She was sitting on the couch, dressed in her pajamas and wrapped in a quilt, but obviously had been awake, waiting for Miss Bellum.   
"I'm sorry for not calling," Miss Bellum apologized. "I went out after work to get a drink with someone."   
"And you stayed until 11:30?"   
"We lost track of time." Miss Bellum sat next to Ms. Keane. "Sandra, I'm sorry. I really am. I only meant to stay for an hour, at most, but we were having fun -"   
"We?"   
"Kandy and I," Miss Bellum admitted.   
"Getting awfully friendly with that girl, aren't you?"   
"She's not as bad as she first seemed to be, so I am trying to be friends. She's easier to work with that way."   
"And does being friends require you to become drinking buddies as well?" Ms. Keane coughed. "Ugh, where did you _go_? You reek of smoke."   
Miss Bellum sniffed the sleeve of her jacket, then made a face. "Ugh, I do. I'm going to go take a shower." She stood up.   
"Sara?" Miss Bellum looked down at Ms. Keane. "I - I'm sorry if I seem paranoid. I was just worried."   
"I'm sorry for making you worry." Miss Bellum leaned down and kissed the top of Ms. Keane's head. "I won't do it again. I promise." 


	2. Discovery

Challenging Fate

**Chapter Two - Discovery**

****

  
Before Miss Bellum went to work Monday morning, she reminded herself that she had to start distancing herself from Kandy. Going out Friday night had been a mistake; she was too old to be hanging out in bars with a college girl. But her resolve was sorely tested when Kandy arrived at work, promptly at nine, and greeted Miss Bellum by laying across the older woman's desk.   
"Friday night was a riot, wasn't it?"   
Miss Bellum slid her glasses up onto her head. "I suppose."   
"We should do it again. Are you free this Friday?"   
Miss Bellum sighed. "Kandy, I did have fun Friday night, but I don't think it's appropriate for us to go out in such a way."   
Kandy frowned. "Why not?"   
"Well, it's flattering that you want to spend time with me, but I have a life at home. I can't neglect that."   
"Oh, come on, it's not like you're married!" Kandy scoffed as she sat up. "Hell, it isn't _legal_ for us to marry."   
Miss Bellum pressed her lips into a thin line. "I know it's not, but that doesn't mean I don't have personal commitments."   
Kandy sighed. "Well, okay, no more going out to the bars. But with all the work I do here, I don't get to see anyone from school anymore. I'd still like to get to know you outside of work, so maybe we can go out to lunch one day?" She gave Miss Bellum a pleading look.   
Miss Bellum was about to answer when the Mayor burst into her office. "Miss Bellum! Oh, hi, Kandy. I just had a wonderful idea!"   
"What's that, Mayor?" Miss Bellum asked.   
"We should have a picnic!"   
Kandy's eyebrows shot up in surprise, but Miss Bellum had known the Mayor too long to let this rather rame idea surprise her. "For whom, Mayor?"   
"Everyone here at City Hall. No! For all of Townsville! Everyone will get to meet everone else!"   
"Who's going to plan this picnic?" Miss Bellum asked.   
"I thought I would," the Mayor said with a hint of pride in his voice.   
_Oh boy_, Miss Bellum thought. _Yet another crazy idea of the Mayor's that's going to get passed on to me._ "Do you think you can handle it, Mayor? It sounds like a big job."   
The Mayor frowned. "Hm, maybe I could use an aide. . . ."   
"Kandy, why don't you go with the Mayor and start planning," Miss Bellum suggested. "It would give you a good chance to see how varried this job can get."   
Kandy looked a little dissapointed that she wouldn't be getting an immediate answer from Miss Bellum, but Miss Bellum was glad she wouldn't have to give an answer right away. On the one hand, Ms. Keane probably wouldn't be too happy to find out Miss Bellum was spending more time than necessary with Kandy, but on the other. . . lunch wouldn't hurt anything.   
_But she'll want to know all about your life_, Miss Bellum thought to herself as she watched Kandy follow the Mayor back into his office. _It's dangerous enough, letting her know that you're gay. Getting into the details about Sandra could be more than you can handle._   
_ Then don't _tell_ her about Sandra_, another voice told her. _Save everyone the headache and just enjoy Kandy as a friend. _Miss Bellum shook her head. She didn't have to deal with the issue now, but she did have to work on filing papers. 

***

Kandy and the Mayor had worked fast and the picnic, which actually had turned into more of a fair, was ready to go on the second Saturday of June.   
Miss Bellum sat with Ms. Keane at the top of a hill in Townsville park, surveying the picnic from their private perch. It was a picture perfect June day, the day after school had let out, and almost the entire city had shown up for the picnic. Including Townsville's favorite famiily, the Utoniums.   
A green streak cut through the air and ended abruptly over Miss Bellum's head. "Hi, Miss Bellum! Hi, Ms. Keane!" Buttercup said as she gently set Andra on the ground, then set herself down.   
Miss Bellum smiled warmly at the girls. "Hi, girls. Enjoying your frist day of summer?"   
Andra nodded emphatically. "We're finally out of the stupid middle school!"   
Ms. Keane laughed. Due to rising student enrollment, the Townsville school district had put the freshmen into the middle school building, so Andra and Buttercup's class had been the first to spend four years in the middle school. "So you're official high schoolers now, how does it feel?"   
Buttercup shrugged. "I'm not going to think about school until fall. It's summer! Who cares about school?"   
"Blossom," Andra said.   
Buttercup rolled her eyes. "Blossom is strange."   
"And you aren't?" Miss Bellum asked.   
"Blossom has already been accepted to two colleges," Buttercup explained, "Harvard and Yale. I don't even know what I'm going to do today, let alone where I'm going to college."   
"I know what you're going to do today," Andra said. "You're going to go to the midway with me, and you're going to win me a giant teddy bear."   
"Only if you'll go on the roller coaster."   
Andra looked slightly pale at that thought. She still hadn't gotten over her fear of heights. "Um, we'll talk about that. Let's go." She tugged on Buttercup's arm as she started to walk down the hill.   
"Uh-huh," Buttercup said. "Fine. See ya', Ms. Keane, Miss Bellum!" Buttercup flew into the air, pulling a startled Andra up with her, and flew towards the midway. The wind carried snatches of a friendly argument about the roller coaster back to Miss Bellum and Ms. Keane.   
"They are an amazing couple of girls, aren't they?" Miss Bellum said as she watched the girls fly awayl.   
"They worry me sometimes," Ms. Keane admitted. "They're so serious, when they're so young."   
"Didn't you act that way with your first crush?"   
Ms. Keane blushed. "Well, perhaps. But I was much older."   
Miss Bellum laughed, then gave Ms. Keane a kiss on the cheek. "Of course you were."   
Ms. Keane turned to return the kiss, but the sound of footsteps approaching stopped her. "Miss Bellum! I thought it was you I saw up here."   
Miss Bellum sighed. "Hi, Kandy."   
Kandy glanced at Ms. Keane. "I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"   
"No," Miss Bellum said. "Kandy, this is Sandra Keane. Sandra, this is Kandy Kane, the intern at the office."   
"Oh, yes," Ms. Keane said, forcing herself to smile at the delicate, bronze woman. "Sara's told me about you. You planned this picnic, right?"   
Kandy looked down modestly. "Well, I helped the Mayor."   
"It's all right, Kandy, you can be honest," Miss Bellum said. "Sandra knows all about trying to help the Mayor on a project. Helping him has certainly kept me at the office late more than once."   
Kandy sat next to Miss Bellum. "Mind if I join you?"   
"Actually -"   
Miss Bellum interrupted Ms. Keane. "Go ahead."   
Ms. Keane frowned at how close Kandy was to Miss Bellum. "Hmph."   
Kandy began an animated conversation with Miss Bellum. A conversation that involved lots of laughter and leaning close and touching Miss Bellum's shoulder and arm. At first Miss Bellum tried to get Ms. keane to join the conversation, but Kandy ignored anything Ms. Keane said. Ms. Keane quickly grew tired of this, and made an excuse of having to find a restroom, just to get away.   
As she walked down the hill, Ms. Keane scolded herself. "Sara herself told you that it was nothing. They went out that one time, and Sara has stayed professional since then. They're having a friendly conversation. There is no reason to be jealous. You're going to go back there and -oomph!" Ms. Keane had reached the restroom, but had been so busy talking to herself she had walked right into the door.   
The door opened as Ms. Keane was still rubbing her nose. "Ms. Keane? Are you all right?"   
Ms. Keane blushed. "Hi, Blossom. I'm fine."   
"Your nose is red."   
"I. . . walked into the door."   
Blossom frowned. She'd never known Ms. Keane to do anything that clumsy before. "Um, yeah, I heard. Are you sure you're all right? Maybe I should get Miss Bellum."   
"No! I mean, no, that won't be necessary, Blossom. I was just pre-occupied. My mind wandered. You know how that goes."   
Blossom nodded slowly, not entirely believing her former teacher, but not wanting to press the issue, either. "So, did you mean to open the door before you ran into it, or were you simply wandering."   
"I did mean to go in, actually," Ms. Keane said. Blossom stepped back, holding the door open for Ms. Keane. Blossom let the door slam behind Ms. Keane, then went to a small bench that sat under the lone window. The bench had a small pile of books on it.   
"What are you doing in here with these?" Ms. Keane asked.   
"Reading," Blossom said.   
"I figured that out, Blossom. Now it's my turn to ask: are you all right?"   
"Yes." Blossom sighed. "No. I hate big social events like this."   
"Why?"   
"Because I never have anybody to do anything with," Blossom said. "None of the girls will do anything with me because I'm either a traitor or they think I'm going to jump them, and the boys only want to know what two girls 'do' together, or if another girl and I would join him for a night!"   
"The girls think you're a traitor?" Ms. Keane asked.   
"All the lesbians," Blossom clarified. "Because I'm bisexual, they think I've betrayed them."   
"Oh, Blossom." Ms. Keane perched on the small space next to Blossom and gave the Girl a hug. "I'm sorry you have to go through this."   
Blossom shrugged. "I'm doing okay. This gives me a chance to read. I want to graduate as early as I can."   
"Do you think that's a good idea?"   
"Don't tell me you don't think I should go to college!"   
"I wouldn't dream of doing such a thing," Ms. Keane said quickly. "but studying all the time isn't healthy. Especially not when school is out for the summer! You should be out being cheated on the midway games, or getting sick by going on the roller coaster a dozen times."   
Blossom made a face. "That doesn't sound nearly as interesting as my AP Biology book." Blossom moved to grab the book, but Ms. Keane put her hand girmly on it.   
"I don't think so, Blossom. You and I are going to go out and enjoy this picnic if it's the last thing we do."   
"What about Miss Bellum? Won't she wonder where you are?"   
"Miss Bellum has her own friends she wants to spend time with. Besides, every couple should spend time apart occasionally." Ms. Keane took Blossom's hand and led her out of the restroom.   
Blossom blinked rapidly as her eyes adjusted to the brightness. "Tell that to Buttercup and Andra. They're _never_ apart! And Bubbles always has some boyfriend or other to spend time with."   
"Buttercup and Andra do worry me sometimes," Ms. Keane said. "But there's nothing you or I can do about it. So let's forget about them. Forget about Bubbles and her ever-changing boyfriends. Let's concentrate on having a fun afternoon, just you and I."   
Blossom smiled. "All right. What shall we do first?" 

***

After almost half and hour of non-stop talking with Kandy, Miss Bellum noticed Ms. Keane had never returned from the restroom. "Have you seen Sandra around here?"   
"Not for awhile," Kandy said nonchalantly.   
Miss Bellum started to stand. "I should go find her."   
"No, don't go!" Kandy grabbed Miss Bellum's wrist and pulled the woman back down. "I'm sure she's off having fun."   
"But what if she's sick? I really should -" By now, Kandy had crawled over Miss Bellum, and silenced her with a deep kiss.   
Miss Bellum pushed Kandy away, or tried to. Despite her delicate frame, Kandy was quite strong and easily kept Miss Bellum pinned to the ground as she kised her hard, while working at the buttons of Miss Bellum's blouse.   
Miss Bellum tried to protest at first, but quickly stopped wanting to, though she wasn't sure why. Maybe it was because this was the first time in year's she'd felt this much passion from another person directed at her. And not just any person, but this strong, young, beautiful woman, who obvioulsy knew what she wanted, and how to get it. So Miss Bellum stopped fighting what she had been feeling ever since that night at the bar. She felt like a teenager again, making out with someone and not giving a damn about the consequences.   
So Miss Bellum didn't hear, until it was too late, the exhausted giggles that were coming from two people climbing up the hill. She didn't even realize anyone was there until she happened to look over Kandy's shoulder to see the shocked faces of Blossom and Ms. Keane.   
"Sandra!" Miss Bellum gasped. She finally found the strength and will to push Kandy away. She sat up and began to fumble with the buttons on her shirt. "Sandra, I can explain."   
"I don't care." Ms. Keane turned around and springted down the hill.   
"Blossom, stop her for me. Tell her I can explain!" Miss Bellum pleaded.   
Blossom looked from Miss Bellum to Kandy, shook her head and sadly floated away.   



	3. Trouble

Challenging Fate

Chapter Three - Trouble

  
Andra and Buttercup were strapping themselves into the bucket seat of the Tilt-O-Whirl, their compromise on the roller coaster issue, when they saw Ms. Keane running out of the park.   
"I think something's wrong," Andra said.   
The platform they were on started to turn slowly. The next time their seat was facing the park exit, they saw Miss Bellum, looking slightly disheveled, was running in the same direction as Ms. Keane had.   
"You're right," Buttercup said. She grabbed the wheel in front of their seat and turned it so they could watch the exit again. Unfortunately, they didn't stop turning, so Buttercup was slammed into the metal wall, and Andra slammed into her.   
"Should we follow them?" Andra asked as she tried to sit up again.   
Buttercup pushed experimentally at the bar that kept her and Andra in their seat. She could move it easily, of course, but their seat was being spun faster and more violently now. If she pushed the bar off, she and Andra were likely to be thrown out before she could grab Andra and fly away.   
"We _oomph_," Buttercup was slammed against the wall again, "we should, but if I get us out now, I won't be able to control our exit."   
"Crap," Andra muttered. Neither she nor Buttercup enjoyed the rest of the ride. Andra was gripping the bar tightly, ready to push it off the moment the ride ended. Buttercup had one hand on the bar to keep herself from sliding around, the other around Andra so they could fly the moment the ride ended.   
Just as the motor on the ride stopped and the Tilt-O-Whirl began to slow, Buttercup felt a vibration on her hip.   
"My pager!" she said. She grabbed it and saw a message from the police chief. The bank was being robbed.   
The Tilt-O-Whirl stopped and Andra pushed off the bar. "Aren't we going to go catch them?"   
"The bank's being robbed," Buttercup said. She picked Andra up and zipped away from the ride. "Their house is on the way there. I'll drop you off and come back later. 'Kay?"   
Already, the house Ms. Keane and Miss Bellum shared was in sight. Andra saw Ms. Keane's car in the driveway. "Hurry back," she said as Buttercup lowered her to the ground. Buttercup nodded, then flew off again.   
Andra knocked on the front door, but there was no answer. She tried the knob and found the door unlocked. She opened it and peered in cautiously. "Ms. Keane?" There was a crash from the kitchen. "Ms. Keane!" Andra ran to the kitchen.   
Andra found Ms. Keane standing in the middle of a pile of pots, pans, and broken glass. Ms. Keane was crying. "Ms. Keane, what is it? What's wrong?"   
Ms. Keane slid down against a cupboard door. "It's that. . . that hussy's fault!"   
Andra gasped. She'd never heard Ms. Keane say anything bad about _anyone_, and in Andra's school 'hussy' was about the worst insult one could come up with. "Who is it?"   
Ms. Keane shook her head. "No, I can't talk about it. Not with you."   
Andra was offended, though she tried to hide it. "Why not with me?"   
"It's not just you. You're too young, Andra. Just go home. I - I need to get out of here."   
"Let me help you," Andra said. "You don't have to talk, but I don't want to leave you alone."   
"I _want_ to be alone."   
Gingerly, Andra walked through the kitchen and kicked aside some glass so she could sit next to Ms. Keane. "I don't know what happened, but I'm willing to bet it has something to do with Miss Bellum. I know when my mom was having problems with my dad, she broke a lot of stuff and wanted to be alone, too, but her friends wouldn't let her. Unless you want me to call someone, I'm the closest to a friend you have at the moment. You supported Buttercup and I when we had problems, I'm gonna return the favor."   
Ms. Keane managed half a smile and patted Andra's head. "Thanks, Andra." 

***

"You'd think that by now the Gangreen Gang would have learned to stop trying to rob the bank!" Bubbles complained as the Powerpuff Girls flew back towards the park.   
"Uh-huh," Buttercup said absently. "I'll catch up with you two late." She peeled off towards the right.   
"Buttercup? Wait for me," Blossom called. "I'll see you later, Bubbles."   
"What is it?" Buttercup asked when Blossom caught up with her.   
"Are you going to Miss Bellum's and Ms. Keane's?"   
"Yeah, why?"   
"I. . . know what happened. Ms. Keane found Miss Bellum, uh, making out with another woman."   
Buttercup stopped midair. "What?! _Today_?"   
Blossom nodded. "Y'know the hill that Ms. Keane and Miss Bellum were on? Ms. Keane and I found Miss Bellum and the other woman there."   
"Oh, my God." Buttercup started to fly again, faster this time. "Why would Miss Bellum _do_ that?"  
"I don't know, I didn't stick around long enough."   
The Girls landed on the front lawn of Miss Bellum's and Ms. Keane's house. Buttercup noticed Ms. Keane's car was gone and the front door was open.   
"Do you think we should just go in?" Blossom asked. "What if they're fighting?"   
"Ms. Keane's not here. Her car was here when I dropped Andra off," Buttercup said. "C'mon, let's see if Miss Bellum's in there."   
Quietly, the two Girls entered the house. They tiptoed past the kitchen, the floor of which was still covered in pots and pans, until they heard a sound from the living room.   
"I think Miss Bellum is crying," Blossom said quietly.   
"We don't want to startle her," Buttercup whispered. "Miss Bellum?" she called in her normal voice. Miss Bellum didn't answer, so Blossom and Buttercup went into the living room to see what was wrong.   
Miss Bellum was kneeling on the floor, bent over the coffee table with her head in her arms. She held a note in her left hand.   
Blossom put a hand on Miss Bellum's shaking shoulder. "Miss Bellum? It's Blossom and Buttercup. What's wrong?" Miss Bellum didn't answer, but she loosened her grip on the note, letting it drop to the table. Buttercup picked it up. "It's from Andra," she said, recognizing the handwriting before reading anything. "It says. . . she went with Ms. Keane to a hotel, they didn't know which one when they left. She'll call me later to update me."   
"I can't believe I let this happen," Miss Bellum choked out.   
"How did it happen?" Blossom asked.   
Miss Bellum shook her head. "I don't know. One moment I was talking with Kandy -"   
"Who's Kandy?" Buttercup asked.   
"An intern at work," Miss Bellum said. "We were talking and then, all of a sudden -" She began to sob again. "And I couldn't stop her. Then I didn't want to. Then Sandra found us -" Miss Bellum sat up and grabbed Blossom's shoulders. "You have to find her, Blossom. Find Sandra and tell her I didn't mean anything!"   
"I don't think I can do that, Miss Bellum," Blossom said sadly. "I think you and her need to work this out."   
"How can I if I don't even know where she is?"   
"She'll call when she's ready."   
"Will you be okay, Miss Bellum?" Buttercup asked.   
"Not until I find Sandra," Miss Bellum said.   
"Miss Bellum, why don't you lie down on the couch?" Blossom suggested. "I'll make you some tea. Help her," she added in a whisper to Buttercup, then flew to the kitchen to start the tea.   
Buttercup slid an arm under Miss Bellum's and gently lifted the woman onto the couch. Miss Bellum didn't help, but she didn't complain either. Instead, as soon as she was lying comfortably on the couch, she gripped Buttercup's shoulders. "Please, Buttercup. Find her for me. Go home and wait for Andra's call."   
"I will," Buttercup said. She gave Miss Bellum a quick hug, then flew to the kitchen. "I'm gonna go home and wait for Andra to call," she told Blossom.   
"I think we should stay -"   
"You'll still be here, she'll be fine," Buttercup insisted. "I'll call when I know anything." She didn't wait for Blossom's answer before flying at top speed for home.   
She arrived home just as the telephone began to ring. "I'll get it!" she shouted as she zipped to the living room, grabbing the phone just before Bubbles did. "Hello? Andra?"   
"Yeah, Buttercup. It's me."   
"You're with Ms. Keane?"   
"Mm-hm. We're at the Holiday Inn. Ms. Keane has a room for herself and is just settling in." A pause. "She's channel surfing now. I think she's trying to keep her mind off you-know-what."   
"And Miss Bellum can't think of anything else. She was hysterical when Blossom and I got there."   
"Is Blossom still there?"   
"Yeah. She was making tea when I left."   
"Hm, maybe you could call her and ask her to leave? I think these two should be alone to talk. Ms. Keane told me a little about what happened. It sounds major."   
"It'd have to be. They've been inseparable before!"   
"Yeah, I always kinda. . . never mind."   
"What is it?"   
"No, I'll tell you later. Hey, after you call Blossom, could you come pick me up? My mom's still at the picnic, and she's probably freaking out about now."   
"Sure. I'll be there in a few minutes. Love you."   
"Love you, too. Bye."   
Buttercup hung up the phone. She glanced up as she was reaching for the phone book and saw Bubbles peering wide-eyed over the back of the couch. "What's wrong with Miss Bellum?"   
"She and Ms. keane got into a fight. Or something like that. Blossom's with Miss Bellum, Andra's with Ms. Keane." Buttercup flipped through the phone book until she found Miss Bellum's listing then dialed her number. "Hey, why aren't you at the park?"   
"It was getting boring, so -" Buttercup cut off Bubbles' answer; Blossom had picked up the phone after the first ring.   
"Hello?"  
"It's Buttercup. I've talked to Andra."   
"Thank goodness."   
"Yeah. Andra wants Ms. Keane to call Miss Bellum so they can start talking, but it'd probably be better if they were alone, y'know? Can Miss Bellum handle that?"   
"Yeah, she's a lot calmer now. I'll be back home in a minute."   
"Okay. I'm gonna pick Andra up from Ms. Keane's hotel, then Ms. Keane will call. See ya'."   
"Bye." Blossom hung up the phone, then went into the living room where Miss Bellum was sitting with her cup of tea. "Miss Bellum, I've gotta go now, will you be all right here for awhile?"   
"Sure," Miss Bellum said listlessly.   
"That was Buttercup on the phone. She says Ms. Keane is gonna call soon."   
Miss Bellum was suddenly more alert. "Oh thank you, Blossom. Yes, I'll be fine until she calls. Thank you, so much."   
"No problem," Blossom said. "Bye!" She flew from the house.   
From the bushes in front of Miss Bellum's house, a pair of eyes watched Blossom fly in a streak of pink light away from the house. As soon as she was out of sight, Kandy stood, brushed herself off, then quietly let herself into the house.   
Miss Bellum heard the squeak of the hinges as the door opened. "Blossom? Is that you?"   
Kandy cleared her through then lowered her voice so that when she spoke, she sounded exactly like Blossom. "Yeah, I just forgot my hair bow." The phone rang. "I'll get that!"   
Kandy ran into the kitchen and picked up the phone. "Hello?" she answered, faking being out of breath. She was speaking in her normal voice now.   
"B-Blossom? Is that you?" It was Ms. Keane.   
"Blossom? No, there's no Blossom here," Kandy answered, then giggled. "You must have the wrong number." She hung up the phone.   
"Who was it?" Miss Bellum asked.   
"A wrong number," Kandy called back, again sounding like Blossom. "I've got my hair bow. I'll see you later, Miss Bellum!" Quickly, Kandy left the house.   
Back in her hotel room, Ms. Keane's face had gone white in shock. The phone receiver slipped from her hand and fell to the floor, dragging the cradle down with it. 


	4. Heartbreak

Challenging Fate

**Chapter Four - Heartbreak**

****

Monday morning, as Buttercup was flying to the store to buy some syrup for her waffles, she flew over Miss Bellum's and Ms. Keane's house.   
Ms. Keane's car wasn't there.   
_Maybe she's at the store, too,_ Buttercup rationalized as she continued to fly. _Or at the mall. There's dozens of places for her to be._   
But Ms. Keane's car wasn't at the grocery store, or the mall, or half a dozen other places Buttercup looked. Finally, afraid of what she was going to find, Buttercup flew to the Holiday Inn.   
There was Ms. Keane's car, in the same parking place it had been in when Buttercup had picked up Andra on Saturday.   
"Crap," Buttercup muttered. She turned around and flew at top speed for home.   
"Blossom!" Buttercup shouted when she got home. "Blossom! Where are you?!"   
Blossom floated out of the kitchen into the living room, where Buttercup had zipped to. "What is it?"   
"I don't think Ms. Keane's gone home yet."   
"Why?"   
"Her car's still at the hotel."   
"I thought you said she was gonna call Miss Bellum!" Blossom said.   
"That's what Andra said was gonna happen," Buttercup said. "Maybe they couldn't work it out."   
"Should we call them?"   
Buttercup wasn't sure what to do. She wasn't the leader, Blossom was, and as often as Buttercup resented her surrogate sister, she really didn't want Blossom's role. "Um. . . I'll call Andra. Maybe she's heard something."   
Blossom hung around Buttercup while Buttercup called Andra. Andra was as shocked as Buttercup and Blossom was that Ms. Keane hadn't gone home. "Are you going over to find out what happened?" Andra asked.   
"I don't know," Buttercup said. She turned to Blossom, "What are we gonna do now?"   
"Go see Ms. Keane? Or should we see Miss Bellum?" Blossom asked.   
"Blossom says we should go see someone," Buttercup reported back to Andra. "Who do you think?"   
"I don't know," Andra said. "One of you go to each? I can't come, Mom wants me to do some stuff around the house."   
Buttercup frowned and sighed. "Okay. I'll give you a call when we know anything. See you soon. Love you."   
"Yeah. You too. Bye." 

***

Andra paced around her empty house for nearly half an hour, wanting to give Buttercup and Blossom enough time to argue over who would go where and leave before she called back.   
Finally she felt enough time had passed so she picked up the phone and called the Utonium's. Bubbles picked up the phone.   
"Hi, Bubbles, it's Andra."   
"Hi, Andra! I don't think Buttercup is here, but -"   
"No, Bubbles. I know she's not there."   
"Then why are you calling?"   
"I actually wanted to talk to you."   
"Me?" Bubbles squeaked.   
"Yeah. Um, could I come over? Or maybe you could come over here?"   
"I could pick you up and bring you over here. Then you could see Buttercup when she comes back."   
"Um. Okay. Sure."   
"Great! I'll be there in a few minutes!"   
True to her word, less than three minutes later, Bubbles was knocking at Andra's door. "Ready?" she asked cheerfully when Andra answered.   
"ARe you going to be able to carry me?" Andra asked. Standing in front of Bubbles, Andra realized she was several inches taller than the Powerpuff Girl.   
"Oh, yeah," Bubbles said. "I've got super strength, too. It'll be an easy flight."   
"Okay," Andra said, but she didn't feel so sure. She was used to flying with Buttercup, who had always been taller than her. Plus, Buttercup just looked stronger than Bubbles.   
But Bubbles turned out to be just as strong as her sister. She easily lifted Andra and flew back home quickly. Faster than Buttercup flew, much faster than Andra felt comfortable going. The only good thing about the speed was it made for a short trip back to the Utonium house.   
"Okay, what's up?" Bubbles asked as she led Andra to the living room.   
"Is the Professor here?" Andra asked.   
"He's down in the lab. As usual," Bubbles added with a roll of her eyes. She plopped down on the couch. "This must be serious if you're being so paranoid."   
Andra laughed uneasily. "It is."   
"So why can't you talk to Buttercup?"   
Andra sat next to Bubbles. "Because it's about her. And me." Bubbles didn't say anything. She just looked at Andra, her wide blue eyes serious for once, so Andra continued. "I'm scared of what happened to Miss Bellum and Ms. Keane. They seemed so . . stable. So sure of themselves. And then this happened."   
"Well, yeah, of course it's scary," Bubbles said. "They were practically married, and then suddenly Miss Bellum is cheating on Ms. Keane! It's a scary thing."   
"It's different for me, Bubbles," Andra said. "When you hear about a straight couple breaking up, yeah it's scary, but there's always another steady couple you can look up to. I don't have that. Miss Bellum and Ms. Keane are the only adult couple I've known that were building a life together. People always say that gay people can't have strong, long term relationships. Miss Bellum and Ms. Keane were my proof that we could. Now that they've broken up. . . how can I stay with Buttercup?"   
"You can stay with Buttercup because you love her and she loves you," Bubbles said firmly. "Just because Miss Bellum and Ms. Keane are having trouble doesn't mean you should give up!"   
"But it's not just them," Andra said. "Mom thinks Buttercup and I are too serious, that we can't be in love at 15. I know Ms. Keane thought the same thing. And sometimes I even think so. Sometimes it's overwhelming that Buttercup ends every conversation with 'I love you.' I care about Buttercup more than anyone except my mom, but I don't know if it's love."   
"Um, wow," Bubbles said. "I'd never thought of it that way. But you're right. About not having anyone else. It's gotta be scary."   
"Or maybe I'm just genetically capable of having a relationship last forever," Andra said morosely. "After all, my parents said they loved eachother once and they divorced."   
"Why do you have to compare your relationship to anyone else's?" Bubbles asked innocently. "We all have different relationships. I have lots of short ones, Blossom's never really had one, and I don't ever remember the Professor having one. And if you and Buttercup stay together, you'd prove all the stupid stereotypes about gay people wrong!"   
"I would love to stay with Buttercup," Andra said. "But. . . I don't know if I'm capable of it. And I don't know if it's because it's true that gay people can't have meaningful relationships, or if she's just too serious, or if I'm just too flaky." Andra put her head in her hands. "I don't know what to do anymore, Bubbles."   
Bubbles put an arm around Andra's shoulders. "I don't think you have to decide right now. Just -"   
The front door flew open suddenly and Buttercup and Blossom zipped through.   
"Andra!" Buttercup exclaimed when she saw her girlfriend and Bubbles on the couch. She flew to Andra's side immediately. "What's wrong?"   
"Nothing," Andra said with a forced smile. "Just kinda tired. I finished my chores early and Bubbles brought me here to wait for news from you." _Bubbles, don't get an honesty attack!_ "What happened?"   
"We went to Ms. Keane," Blossom said. "I thought maybe she hadn't called after all, maybe she wanted to give Miss Bellum a few days. Have a mini-vacation or whatever."   
Buttercup took over. "Ms. Keane did call Miss Bellum. Just a few minutes after you and I left, Andra. But when she called, Kandy picked up the phone."   
"What?!" Bubbles and Andra cried in unison.   
"Which I don't get," Blossom said. "Two minutes couldn't have passed between me leaving and Ms. Keane's phone call."   
"_And_ Miss Bellum seemed genuinely upset over everything that had happened," Buttercup said. "Unless she's the world's greatest actor, she wouldn't have let Kandy anywhere near her house."   
"We do need to go see Miss Bellum," Blossom said firmly. "She's the only one who knows what happened."   
Buttercup looked at Andra. "You go, Blossom. I wanna hang with Andra."   
Blossom rolled her eyes and shook her head, but she knew from experience nothing could pull these two apart.   
"Maybe you should go," Andra said. "I mean, you might remember something Blossom doesn't. And you always like to be right in the middle of things. Or, y'know. . . ."   
Andra didn't let her sentences trail off unless something was wrong. Buttercup usually wasn't very perceptive, but after going out with Andra for three years, she'd picked up a thing or two. "No, I'll stay here. Blossom will do fine."   
"Okay," Blossom said. "I'll be back soon." She flew off.   
"Let's go up to my room. I wanna talk," Buttercup said. She took Andra's hand and led her upstairs to the recently added green door on the second floor.   
Shortly after Andra and Buttercup had started going out, the Professor finally realized that three teenager girls couldn't share the same bedroom, even one as big as theirs had been. So he drew up plans and hired contractors to remodel the second floor of the house. It should have only taken a couple months from start to finish, but the Professor had a habit of forgetting and losing things.   
Buttercup grabbed her desk chair and sat in it backwards while Andra perched on the bed. "Mind tellin' me what's up?"   
"It's nothing," Andra said, but she felt herself blushing, like she usually did when she tried to lie to Buttercup.   
"You're lying," Buttercup accused. "To me! Why?!"   
"Because I'm scared to tell the truth!" Andra nearly shouted back. She clamped a hand over her mouth, afraid she'd already said too much.   
"What truth about what?" Buttercup asked. "C'mon, Andra! We've always been honest with eachother!" she said loudly when Andra didn't answer immediately.   
Andra looked down at the carpet and muttered something.   
"What?" Buttercup asked.   
"I think we need to break up," Andra whispered. She looked up at Buttercup, tears in her blue eyes, then bolted from the room.   
"What?" Buttercup asked the empty room hoarsely. She shook her head and zipped from her bedroom. Bubbles was sitting on the couch, looking shocked, and the front door was standing open. Andra could be fast when she wanted to be.   
But not as fast as Buttercup. Buttercup flew out the front door, only a streak of green light visible, and caught up with Andra when she was only halfway down the block. Buttercup landed in front of her and grabbed Andra's shoulders. "Why?!" she demanded.   
"I'm scared," Andra sobbed. "I'm scared of what happened to Miss Bellum and Ms. Keane. I'm scared of how serious you are, Buttercup."   
"What do Miss Bellum and Ms. Keane have to do with _us_?!"  
"How many successful gay couples do you know, Buttercup? Not just personally, but ever?" Andra didn't wait for an answer. "There _aren't_ any, Buttercup. None! This is one stereotype that's true: we can't have long-term relationships. So I'm stopping this before what happened to Miss Bellum and Ms. Keane happens to us." She wriggled out of Buttercup's grasp and began to run again. Buttercup was too shocked to chase her.   
Buttercup didn't know how long she stood there before she slowly floated home. It couldn't have been too long; the door was still open. She ignored Bubbles' demands to know what happened; instead she floated up to her room, not even bothering to shut the door, and lay on her bed.   
Buttercup didn't cry, or scream, or really do much of anything. She just tried to figure out where she'd gone wrong. Where they'd gone wrong. She wracked her brain, trying to meet Andra's challenge, to prove that there were gay couples who built lives together. But there weren't any out adults in Townsville besides Miss Bellum and Ms. keane, and none of the kids at school had been out long enough to really have established relationships. And on TV, you didn't hear about it when gay people got together, only when they broke up, since gay marriages weren't legal.   
Later Buttercup heard a knock on her door frame, then Blossom's voice. "Buttercup? Can I come in?" Buttercup grunted noncommittally, so Blossom came in and sat next to Buttercup on the bed. "What happened?"   
Finally, Buttercup felt the tears start welling up. "Andra broke up with me," she managed to say before she began sobbing.   
"Oh, my God," Blossom murmured. She gently patted Buttercup's back, then Buttercup sat up suddenly and put her arms around Blossom's neck, sobbing into the red-haired Girl's shoulder. Blossom froze for a moment. One, Buttercup never cried, and two, Buttercup never hugged anyone except Andra. But Blossom made herself get over her shock. She gently put her arms around buttercup, and tried to ignore how nice it felt to hold the other Girl in her arms.   
"I - don't - know - where - I - went - wrong," Buttercup sobbed. "First she - she said I was - was- too - serious. And - she said - she was - scared - of what had - had happened - with - with - with - Miss Bellum and Ms. - Keane." She coughed and sniffed. "An' she said - she said we can't - can't have - long-term relationships - 'cause we're - we're gay!" That set off a new wave of sobs.   
"But that's just a stupid stereotype," Blossom muttered to herself.   
"I - know," Buttercup said. "But - but - what if - it's true?"   
Blossom patted Buttercup's back. "Shh, don't think about it now. I'll go get you something to eat and let you calm down. Then we can talk."   
Buttercup tightened her grip on Blossom. "No!"   
"What?"   
"Please," Buttercup whimpered. "Please, don't go, Blossom."   
Blossom was shocked, but she just patted Buttercup's back again. "Okay. I'm not going anywhere, Buttercup. I'm staying right here." 


	5. Concern and Comfort

Challenging Fate

**Chapter Five - Concern and Comfort**

"Girls! Dinner!"   
Blossom woke with a start. She glanced at the clock on the night stand. It was six o'clock, the Professor was calling her for dinner.   
But then Blossom noticed something strange. The clock display was green: hers was red. And there was a strange weight across her chest.   
Buttercup's arm.   
"Geez!" Blossom yelped in surprise. "Buttercup. C'mon, Buttercup, it's time to get up."   
Buttercup rolled over, allowing Blossom to sit up. "No," she mumbled.   
Blossom sighed and felt herself returning to her 'big sister' role. _So much for sisterly bonding_, Blossom thought. She shook Buttercup's shoulder. Buttercup hated anyone who dared to wake her up, but Blossom was willing to risk it. Buttercup didn't usually hold the grudge for long, anyway.   
Buttercup's eyes fluttered open. "Blossom? What is it?"   
"Girls! Dinner!" the Professor shouted again.   
"Already?" Buttercup muttered. She sat up. "Please tell me it was all a dream. A really bad one," she begged quietly.   
Blossom bit the inside of her lip to keep from crying herself. This was crazy! Blossom knew Buttercup cared for Andra, but she had no idea it was this much. "It wasn't a dream," Blossom finally said.   
Buttercup collapsed back down on the bed. "I'm not hungry."   
The Professor appeared at Buttercup's door. "Blossom? Buttercup? What's wrong?"   
Blossom squeezed Buttercup's hand, then floated to the Professor and took him out into the hallway. "Andra broke up with Buttercup today."   
"Oh, no!" the Professor gasped. "I should go in and talk to her."   
"I'm not sure if that's the best idea," Blossom said. "I think she just wants to sleep, Professor."   
The Professor shook his head. "If we let her do that, she'll spend her entire summer moping. She can stay up here for now if she wants, I remember how I felt after my first heartbreak, and you can stay, too. But keep her talking, Blossom, even if it's not about Andra. I'll bring dinner up for both of you."   
Blossom nodded to the Professor, then went back to Buttercup, who had pulled her blanket over her head. "Buttercup, sleeping won't make this go away."   
"Says you," was Buttercup's muffled reply.   
Blossom pulled the blanket off Buttercup's head. "Yes, says me. And the Professor. He's bringing dinner up for us."   
"I'm not hungry."   
"Then _I'll_ eat it. But I'm not gonna let you go back to sleep."   
"You can't boss me around here, Blossom."   
"Here's your dinner, Girls," the Professor said. he came into the room and set two plates of hot dogs on Buttercup's night stand. Then he leaned down and kissed Buttercup's forehead. "How're you doing, sweetheart?"   
"I wanna sleep. Blossom won't let me."   
"She's just doing what I asked her to. Sleeping won't make the pain go away."   
"Yes it will."   
The Professor smiled and ruffled his daughter's hair. "Only for a little while. Enjoy your dinner you two." He patted Blossom's head, then left.   
Blossom grabbed a plate of hot dogs and sat on Buttercup's bed. "You sure you don't want any? They're grilled and everything. Your favorite."   
Buttercup glanced over at the plate left on her night stand. "I guess. I might as well." Blossom handed her the plate.   
The two ate in silence for several minutes before Buttercup spoke again. "Thanks for stayin' with me, Blossom. I guess I needed it."   
"No problem. That's what, well, what sisters are for. Right?"   
Buttercup shrugged. "I guess. Even though you know you're not my sister."   
"No?"   
"No, you're a lot better." Buttercup lay her head on Blossom's shoulder.   
Blossom smiled slightly. "Thanks, Buttercup. So are you."   
Buttercup didn't answer. She was snoring lightly.   
"You little sneak," Blossom muttered, but Buttercup looked so comfortable and peaceful Blossom didn't have the heart to wake her up. She set her plate aside and lay her head on Buttercup's. Letting Buttercup take a short nap wouldn't hurt anything. 

***

The next morning, the Professor didn't think anything of it when Buttercup and Blossom didn't show up for breakfast. He figured they had stayed up late talking. Commiserating, perhaps. But around eleven, when he normally went down to his lab, he began to worry. It was still relatively early by Buttercup's standards, but Blossom never slept this late. She was usually the first one in the house awake.   
"Bubbles?" the Professor called.   
bubbles poked her head above the back of the couch. "Yeah?"   
"Did you see Blossom or Buttercup last night after dinner?"   
"Um. . . nope."   
"All right. Thanks, honey." Bubbles nodded then disappeared behind the couch again. The Professor climbed the stairs, then quietly opened the green door of Buttercup's room.   
The Professor sighed when he looked into the room. Blossom hadn't left Buttercup's room last night. Blossom was laying on her side and Buttercup had wrapped her arms around the other Girl. This wouldn't be a problem in other families. In fact, it was rather cute. But most families didn't have the unique situation the Utoniums had. Most families didn't have children who had almost had a romantic relationship at one point.   
_Is it still 'almost'? _The Professor wondered. _I'll have to talk to them._ The Professor went to Buttercup's bed and gently shook the sleeping Girls.   
"Girls. Girls! Time to get up."   
Blossom opened her eyes first. "Wha?"   
"Come on, Blossom. Out of the bed."   
Blossom sat up and rubbed her eyes. "Buttercup's room?" She glanced next to her and smiled. "Oh, yeah."   
The Professor frowned. "Wake up Buttercup. I want to speak with you two down in my lab in three minutes."   
"Okay," Blossom said, looking worried.   
"Three minutes," the Professor repeated. He left the room.   
Blossom shook Buttercup. "Buttercup, come on, we gotta get up. The Professor wants to talk to us."   
"Why?" Buttercup grumbled.   
"He didn't say. But he didn't look happy."   
"We've been asleep!" Buttercup said. "We didn't do anything!"   
"Maybe it's the sleeping part that bothers him."   
"You mean -"   
"He might."   
Buttercup shook her head. "This just isn't my week."   
"We have three minutes to get down to the lab. I'm gonna get dressed first. Meet you down there."   
"Whatever," Buttercup muttered.   
"No going back to sleep!" Blossom said sternly. "Honestly, you slept all day yesterday."   
Buttercup stood up. "Happy now?"   
Blossom shook her head. "I won't be until I know what's bothering the Professor. See you in the lab." She left for her room. 


	6. Talking

**Challenging Fate**

**Chapter Six – Talking**

Blossom met Buttercup at the stairs outside their room. Buttercup had obviously procrastinated, as usual, since while Blossom was perfectly brushed and dressed, Buttercup was still in her pajamas. Her hair wasn't even brushed. "How can the Professor think that we'd _do_ anything?" Buttercup demanded as she and Blossom went down to the lab. "I mean . . . I don't know what I mean, but he's being stupid."   
"Um, yeah," Blossom said. She could feel herself blushing and was thankful for the dim light of the stairwell leading down to the lab.   
"I'm in here, Girls," the Professor called.   
Blossom and Buttercup crossed the lab to where the Professor was sitting in his small kitchenette. "What is it?" Blossom asked.   
"I understand, Buttercup, tat you're having a difficult time right now," the Professor said. "The end of a relationship is always painful. So I know there's often a certain . . . temptation to rush into another relationship."   
"I don't feel like that, Professor," Buttercup said.   
"I'm glad to hear that. Now. But I want to set down some ground rules anyway. Blossom, I know you like Buttercup –"   
"Professor!" Blossom cried.   
"- Or you used to. And now that Buttercup isn't in a relationship there may be a certain – temptation to . . . to do what young people infatuated with each other may do."   
"Professor . . . " Buttercup moaned.   
"I know it's an embarrassing subject, but this has to be said," the Professor said. "I'm glad you looked out for Buttercup yesterday, Blossom, but I can't allow you two to be spending the night in each other's rooms."   
"We didn't do anything!" Blossom said.   
"I know. And I'm glad. Very glad. But I need to be sure it stays that way."   
"It will," Buttercup and Blossom said in unison, their heads down.   
"Thank you," the Professor said. "I hope you Girls know I didn't say this because I don't trust you. I think both of you are mature beyond your years. But you're also teenagers, and even the most mature people make mistakes sometimes."   
"Yes, Professor," Blossom and Buttercup said. Blossom floated back upstairs, while Buttercup went up on foot.   
"I can't believe the Professor thought he had to tell us all that!" Buttercup complained. She threw herself on the couch next to Blossom.   
"What the Professor said, about me," Blossom stumbled, "it's not true, you know. I got over that a long time ago."   
"Of course," Buttercup said quickly. "'Cause you've had boy and girlfriends, and I have – had – Andra." The emotions of the breakup came rushing back to Buttercup. The hurt, the anger, and the overwhelming sadness. "I miss her already, Blossom," Buttercup whispered.   
Cautiously, Blossom scooted over to Buttercup and gingerly patted the Girl's shoulder. "I know."   


***

Andra was bored.   
She and Buttercup had had the entire summer planned out so they'd always have something to do. The advantage of going out with someone who could fly was transportation was never a problem. They could even get to Citysville without needing a driver.   
_ But that's all over now,_ Andra thought bitterly. She glanced at the phone. Maybe she could call Buttercup and apologize . . ..   
No, that was stupid. She couldn't go running back to Buttercup like she was in some bad romance novel. She needed to move on, go out with other friends, and find other things to do.   
But when she sat down on the couch, Andra realized that she didn't have any other friends. Her social life in Townsville had revolved around Buttercup. Not because Buttercup had been controlling, just that Andra had never felt like she needed anyone besides Buttercup. The only close friends the two of them had had were the other Powerpuff Girls. The other girls at school were more like acquaintances.   
_ Maybe I should call Blossom or Bubbles_, Andra though, but immediately dismissed the idea. The Powerpuff Girls still thought of themselves as sisters, even if they weren't biologically. Blossom and Bubbles would have an obligation to support Buttercup, which would most likely mean severing al contact with Andra.   
Before on the rare occasions Andra hadn't been able to talk to Buttercup about something, usually because the Utoniums were on vacation, Andra had gone to talk to Miss Bellum and Ms. Keane, but now didn't seem to be the right time to talk to them either. They had their own problems.   
Andra looked at the clock. It was noon and she was hungry. But when she looked in the fridge, there wasn't anything that looked appetizing. So she grabbed some of the spending money her mom had left her, wrote a note in case her mom came home early, and set off on her bike for downtown Townsville for some lunch.   


***

It wasn't long before Andra was gasping for breath and her tank top was plastered to her skin. It'd been awhile since she'd been on a serious bike ride, and the air was stifling. So when Andra reached the part of the city that was almost exclusively restraints, she got off her bike and walked.   
She glanced at signs and windows as she walked past restraints, quickly evaluating whether she would eat there or not. _Completely vegan, too greasy, too spicy, Miss Bellum's there, too expensive._ Andra stopped suddenly. "Miss Bellum?" She walked back to the restaurant and tried to look casual as she glanced in.   
She'd been right. There was no mistaking Miss Bellum's mane of red hair. Miss Bellum was sitting across from a younger woman. Both were dressed for a day in the office, not a sandwich at a casual café.   
"Maybe it's a business meeting," Andra thought. She was just about to go on her way when she saw the other woman put a consoling hand over Miss Bellum's. It could have been innocent. A friend consoling Miss Bellum over the breakup. But Andra knew better. She could see the look on the woman's face. It was too loving for a friend. It was the same way Buttercup looked – _used to look_ – at Andra.   
The two women stood up suddenly and the young woman put a tender arm around Miss Bellum's shoulders. Andra ducked into the entryway off the next restaurant and only poked her head out when she heard the door open and the sound of high heels clicking on cement.   
"Let's go back to your place after work," the young woman was saying as they walked towards a sports car. "We can . . . 'talk' more there."   
Andra's eyes widened in shock. First at the not-so-subtle emphasis on the word talk, then at Miss Bellum's nodding head. _She's got to know that Kandy doesn't _really_ want to talk!_ She gasped. _What if she does . . . and wants to do something anyway?!_   
__ "In or out, girl."   
"What?"   
A man dressed in a tuxedo and old enough to be her father was standing over Andra. "I said in or out. Either come into the restaurant or get away so my respectable customers may enter." He sniffed, then turned smartly on his heel and re-entered the restaurant.   
Andra wanted to storm after him, show him who he was dealing with . . . but now he was just dealing with a high school girl dressed in a tank top and cut offs, not the girlfriend of one of the most powerful people in Townsville.   
"I thought I came out here to get _away_ from all this stuff," Andra muttered as she pushed her bike down the sidewalk. "I need to talk to Blossom or Buttercup. Maybe Blossom will listen to me when I say it's about Miss Bellum. She'll have to." Forgetting her hunger, Andra jumped on her bike and began peddling quickly towards the Utonium's. 


	7. Challenge

**Challenging Fate**

**Chapter Seven - Challenge**

The doorbell rang just as Blossom was setting lunch on the table for herself and the other two Girls. Bubbles started eating right away, she loved macaroni and cheese, but Buttercup made no move to eat. She didn't move to answer the door, either.   
"Don't get up, I'll get it," Blossom muttered. She left her bowl on the table, then floated to the door and opened it.   
"Andra?" she gasped. "What are you doing here?"   
"I need to talk to you," Andra panted. She was tired, hot and sticky from her bike ride. "It's about Miss Bellum."   
Blossom leaned back and glanced into the kitchen. Buttercup was picking at her food. "Okay, I'm gonna zip us up to my room. Hold on tight." She pulled Andra into the house, shut the door, then flew herself and Andra to her room.   
Andra sat on Blossom's bed to recover from the quick flight. "I hate going that fast," she muttered. "How's Buttercup?"   
"How do you expect her to be after you break up with her suddenly?" Blossom asked. "What's with Miss Bellum?"   
"I saw her downtown today. With Kandy. Kandy seemed to be closer to Miss Bellum than just a friend. And Kandy said she and Miss Bellum would go back to Miss Bellum's after work to talk some more, but the emphasis placed on 'talk' obviously meant something else."   
"I think we need to have a real talk with Miss Bellum," Blossom said. "Do you want to come?"   
"Would Buttercup go?"   
"Probably."   
"Then I can't. You and her are closer to Miss Bellum than I ever was, so you two should be the ones to go. If I went too, Buttercup would just get distracted. Or maybe angry and then you'd have to deal with two fighting couples."   
Blossom nodded. "Okay, that sounds reasonable for now." She heard heavy footsteps coming up the stairs, then a door shutting. "That was Buttercup. She's the only one who would be walking up here. So you can go on your own. I know flying isn't your favorite thing."   
"Will you call me when you know anything?"   
"First thing."   
Andra nodded, then started to leave.   
"Andra, wait a second." Andra turned back to Blossom. "Buttercup told me a little about why you broke up but. . . it doesn't make much sense. And I think Buttercup has a right to know exactly what's going on."   
"She does. As soon as I know exactly what's going on, I'll tell her. In the meantime, Bubbles may have a coherent idea of what I was talking about." Andra opened Blossom's door and left.   
Blossom listened carefully as Andra crept down the stairs and out the door. As soon as the front door shut, Blossom flew downstairs to where Bubbles was curled up with a book on the couch.   
"Was that Andra?" Bubbles asked Blossom.   
"Yeah. And she said you might know why she dumped Buttercup." Blossom sat next to Bubbles. "Neither Buttercup nor I understand why she did it. Do you?" 

***

". . . So it's just like she said. She's confused." Blossom was in Buttercup's room explaining what Bubbles had said about the breakup.   
"She also had news about Miss Bellum," Blossom continued.   
"What?"   
"She was out to lunch with Kandy. They're going back to Miss Bellum's after work. To 'talk'."   
"What's up with Miss Bellum?!" Buttercup demanded. "Is this just a really deviant way of breaking up? It's disgusting. I'm going to her office right now -"   
"Hold up, Buttercup," Blossom said, grabbing the back of Buttercup's shirt as the Girl tried to fly by. "We need to have a plan before storming over there. She might be with Kandy. We'll need an excuse to get her away."   
Buttercup floated in front of Blossom, her arms crossed. "And we can't come up with this while we fly because. . . ?"   
Blossom smiled slightly. The old Buttercup was back, maybe just for a moment, but she was back. "You'll probably be to busy venting to plan. So here's an idea. You tell Miss Bellum you need to talk. ABout Andra."   
Buttercup's glowered changed to a look of surprise. "Um, I don't think I want to do that. Couldn't you have guy problems? Or girl problems?"   
"Why does it matter? You won't actually have to talk to her about it."   
"But. . . " Buttercup couldn't come up with a good excuse, so she reset her face into a glower. "All right. I'll do it. Let's just go." She zipped out her open window. In a flash, Blossom was right behind her. 

***

The window to Miss Bellum's office was open, so Buttercup flew right in. Blossom waited outside, out of sight. She'd be listening for either Miss Bellum to be alone in her office, or a suggestion for a place for MIss Bellum and Buttercup to be alone.   
Buttercup landed softly in Miss Bellum's office. It was empty. "Hello?" she called, just in case. "Miss Bellum?"   
"I can see them coming down the hall, Buttercup!" Blossom called.   
"Okay," Buttercup called back. She started to lift herself up onto the edge of Miss Bellum's desk, but stopped and floated herself up to sit on it instead. A moment later the door opened and Miss Bellum and Kandy walked in, arm in arm.   
"Buttercup!" Miss Bellum gasped when she saw the Girl. She dropped Kandy's arm. "What is it? What's wrong?"   
Buttercup made herself look as miserable as possible. She was sure she was pretty convincing considering she wasn't far at anytime from breaking down. "I need to talk to you. Alone," Buttercup added with a glance at Kandy. "It's. . . it's about Andra." She couldn't be sure, but Buttercup thought she saw a smug smirk cross Kandy's face briefly.   
"Of course we can talk," Miss Bellum said. "Come on, we'll go into the break room. We should be undisturbed." She put an arm around Buttercup's shoulder and guided the floating Girl to the break room.   
Blossom's super hearing caught the conversation easily. She knew where the break room was, so she flew there quickly. The problem was the window was closed and as far as Blossom could tell, didn't open at all. "What's the point in having windows that don't even open?" Blossom demanded. She considered for a moment just flying through the window, but that wouldn't make Miss Bellum want to listen to them. Blossom inspected the window again, just to be sure she hadn't missed anything, but she saw Miss Bellum and Buttercup entering the room. She definitely couldn't bust in now. "Buttercup's going to hate me for stranding her," Blossom muttered to herself as she flew to the front door of City Hall.   
As she entered the break room, Miss Bellum thought she caught a flash of pink outside the window. "Is Blossom outside?"   
Buttercup scanned the room quickly. Blossom was supposed to be here already. Why wasn't she outside? "Um, I don't know."   
"It doesn't matter, I suppose," Miss Bellum said. "Now, what did you want to tell me about Andra?"   
_I hate you, Blossom!_ "Um, she - she broke up with me."   
"Oh, Buttercup! I'm so sorry!" Miss Bellum hugged Buttercup tight.   
_Don't do that! I don't wanna - damn._ The sympathy from Miss Bellum was bringing all the emotion back. Buttercup was starting to cry. "I'm sorry to dump this on you now, but I don't really have anyone else to talk to."   
"Don't feel bad, Buttercup. I'll always be here for you, no matter what."   
"I tried talking to Blossom, but the Professor thought that we were sleeping together or something."   
"Why on Earth would he think that?"   
Buttercup sniffed. "Blossom spent the night in my room one night. We weren't doing anything, we just fell asleep while we were talking," she added quickly. "So then the Professor had to have a big talk with us about what we can and can't do. It's stupid."   
"It does kind of seem that way," Miss Bellum said. "But I understand why he said it."   
"But Blossom doesn't even like me anymore!"   
"It's a precaution, Buttercup. Feelings can change overnight. For no reason at all."   
"Is that why you're with Kandy all the time?"   
Miss Bellum turned away from Buttercup to face the door where Blossom was. She wasn't surprised to see the Girl. There had been no mistaking that flash of pink light outside the window. "What do you mean, Blossom?"   
"Don't you care about Ms. Keane anymore?" Blossom floated into the room. "You're always out with Kandy. Andra saw you and her at lunch today."   
Miss Bellum looked back to Buttercup. "Did Andra really break up with Andra or was it a plot to get to talk to me."   
"No," Buttercup said, "though I wish it was."   
"Andra and Buttercup aren't the discussion anymore," Blossom said. "What were you doing out with Kandy?"   
"Blossom, I don't like your attitude. I'm an adult, I can take care of myself."   
"But you have a responsibility to Ms. Keane. Don't you care about her?"   
Miss Bellum looked at the floor. "Of course I do. I miss her more than you can imagine. But I haven't seen or heard from her since Saturday. Not so much as a message on the machine so I know that she's okay." She sank into a chair and covered her face with her hands.   
Buttercup sat next to MIss Bellum. Miss Bellum was wrong: Buttercup could imagine exactly how much she missed Ms. Keane. "She's okay physically. She's been staying at a hotel. But emotionally, she's a mess."   
"So why doesn't she call me? Blossom, you said she was going to."   
Blossom started to answer, but was interrupted by a voice from the hall. "Sara? Sara, where'd you go?"   
"Sara?" Blossom and Buttercup asked in unison. Even Ms. Keane hadn't called Miss Bellum by her first name in public.   
Miss Bellum wiped her eyes. "In here, Kandy."   
Kandy opened the break room door. "Are you all right, Sara? Miss Bellum, I mean."   
"I'm fine. What is it?"   
"The Mayor needs a couple of files that I can't find."   
"I'll get them." Miss Bellum turned to Buttercup and Blossom. "We'll talk later."   
"Sure we will," Blossom muttered so quietly on Buttercup could hear.   
Kandy stayed behind after Miss Bellum left. "You must be Blossom and Buttercup. I've heard so much about you two."   
"Of course you have. We're super heroes. We're famous," Buttercup said.   
Kandy laughed. A musical, sexy sound that almost made Buttercup understand why Miss Bellum might have abandoned Ms. Keane.   
Almost.   
"Of course there's that," Kandy said, "but Miss Bellum talks of you Girls often. She loves you like daughters. But I think I need to remind you of something that she doesn't quite have the heart to say."   
"What?" Blossom asked.   
"Miss Bellum is her own woman. She can make decisions for herself. And she doesn't need brats like you interfering with her affairs!" Kandy hissed. She stepped away from Blossom and Buttercup and smiled sweetly. "It's been nice meeting you Girls. Take care of yourselves." She turned around and dropped her smile. "Or someone else will," she said softly.   
But she didn't know about the Powerpuff Super hearing. Blossom and Buttercup gasped when they heard Kandy. Kandy spun around.   
Buttercup bent over quickly, putting a hand on her stomach. "Cramps," she explained with a weak smile.   
Kandy nodded, but still looked suspicious of the Girls as she left.   
"She's trouble," Blossom whispered when Kandy was out of earshot.   
"No duh," Buttercup said. "We gotta get outta here. Then we gotta plan a way to get Miss Bellum away from the psychopath and back with Ms. Keane." 


	8. The Plan

**Challenging Fate******

**Chapter Eight - The Plan** ****

The mood was tense in Blossom's room the next afternoon.   
Blossom had brought Buttercup and Bubbles into her room for a meeting to plan how to get Miss Bellum and Ms. Keane back together. Buttercup and Bubbles were sitting on Blossom's bed while Blossom stood by her desk. The three Girls were dressed in camouflage outfits, in their respective colors. But the serious subject wasn't what made them tense. That was because of the fourth person in the room. Andra.   
Buttercup hadn't wanted Andra to come. The Powerpuff Girls could handle this easily. But Blossom insisted on having Andra attend. "She's friends with Ms. Keane and Miss Bellum too. She's helped us from the start, so she's going to help finish it." Buttercup had reluctantly agreed to let Andra help, but was making it very clear she wasn't entirely comfortable with her ex-girlfriend's presence.   
Andra wasn't much more comfortable. She'd been excited when Blossom had called and invited her to help get MIss Bellum and Ms. Keane back together, but now actually being in Blossom's bedroom, sitting in the desk chair not five feet away from Buttercup. . . . Andra could think of half a dozen other places she'd rather be.   
"Okay, everybody," Blossom said in her 'leader' voice. "Welcome to Operation I Love You. OUr mission: to reunite Miss Bellum and Ms. Keane by any means necessary."   
Buttercup leaned over to Bubbles and whispered, "This message will self destruct in five seconds."   
Blossom glared at Buttercup, but a smile was tugging at the corner of her mouth, so it wasn't very menacing. "Bubbles tells me she has already devised a plan for the first stage of our operation. Bubbles?" Blossom perched on the edge of her desk while Bubbles stood up.   
"Um, yeah. So I thought that maybe we could take Miss Bellum and Ms. Keane out on a date. Like, what if I took Ms. Keane to a movie, then Buttercup came in with Miss Bellum after the theatre was dark so they ended up sitting next to eachother without even knowing it."   
"What if they kill eachother as soon as the lights come up?" Buttercup asked.   
"They aren't like that," Andra said. She glanced at Buttercup, but quickly focused her attention on Blossom. "They might be shocked and surprised, and they won't decide right then to have a big heart to heart, but they'll have to say something and be civil. Especially if two of you are there."   
"I think it's worth a try," Blossom said. "Bubbles, will you take Miss Bellum? Buttercup, you take Ms. Keane, all right?"   
"Yeah," Buttercup said. She glanced at Andra, then back to Blossom. "What about you?"   
Blossom shrugged. "You two can handle this by yourselves. When do you want to go?"   
"Friday night the new Spider-Man movie opens," Andra offered. "I don't know how much Miss Bellum or Ms. Keane want to see it, but it'll be so crowded you can easily arrange to sit next to eachother." She didn't mention that she knew Buttercup already had two tickets. They'd been planning on going together ever since they knew when it was coming out. Buttercup had bought the tickets the day before the picnic.   
"Can we still get tickets for that?" Bubbles asked.   
"Go online. Buy two for the nine o'clock show. I've already got two for that show." Buttercup defiantly met Andra's gaze now. She wasn't sullen anymore. Now she was challenging Andra to say anything. Andra didn't rise to the challenge. She looked down and studied the carpet intently.   
"I'll ask the Professor tonight if we can use his credit card to buy the tickets," Blossom said. "Buttercup and Bubbles? Go ask Miss Bellum and Ms. Keane to join you for a movie Friday."   
"Now?" Bubbles asked.   
Blossom shrugged. "Might as well. Besides, you need to make sure Miss Bellum doesn't make plans with Kandy on Friday night."   
Bubbles nodded and flew out through Blossom's window. Buttercup followed.   
Andra rested her chin on the back of the chair. "I don't know if having me here was a good idea."   
"Andra, I know you're worried about Miss Bellum and Ms. Keane, too. Buttercup's going to have to learn to live with you."   
"Aren't you a little uncomfortable around me?"   
Blossom shrugged. "I was at first. I have a responsibility to Buttercup, you know. But I'm friends with you, too."   
Andra smiled. "Thanks, Blossom."   
"You were supposed to go to Spider-Man on Friday with Buttercup, weren't you?"   
"Yeah," Andra whispered. She'd gone back to studying the carpet.   
"How about I get tickets for us on Friday, too. I want to see the movie anyways. It's more fun to go with someone else."   
"Are you sure?"   
"Positive." Blossom put an arm around Andra's shoulder and began leading her to the door. "I'll pick you up around 8:30."   
Andra winced. "Are we flying?"   
"Do you want the Professor to drive us?"   
"I suppose not. And flying will be quicker."   
"It'll be a nice, gentle flight. I promise." 

***

Miss Bellum was alone in her office when Bubbles floated through the open window. "Miss Bellum?"   
Miss Bellum took off her reading glasses. "Hello, Bubbles." She glanced out the window. "Are Buttercup or Blossom with you?"   
"Nope, it's just me."   
"All right. What brings you here?"   
"Well. . . I have tickets to go see Spider-Man on Friday, but my date had to. . . um. . . go out of town on a family thing. Neither Buttercup or Blossom wants to go with me, so I was wondering if you would."   
"I'd love to, Bubbles."   
"Yea!"   
"But you already have plans to go with me!" Kandy whined. She'd entered the office just in time to hear Bubbles' invitation.   
Miss Bellum glanced at her desk calendar quickly. "No, I don't."   
"Well, I mean, I was just going to ask you," Kandy stumbled.   
Miss Bellum looked back and forth between the two young women in her office. Going with Kandy would be more fun. Kandy was an adult that MIss Bellum could make jokes and comment on the lead woman's body with. Bubbles was pretty much a teeny bopper. Most likely she was going just to swoon over Spider-Man. But the Girl looked so hopeful, and she _had_ asked first. "But Bubbles did ask me first. I'll go with her tonight and we can do something later this weekend."   
Kandy frowned slightly. "All right." She put on a bright smile. "I'll find another way to amuse myself this weekend. Have fun, you two." She turned around and immediately a glower replaced her smile. But her body language betrayed nothing as she left Miss Bellum and Bubbles behind to make their plans. 

***

"Oh, Buttercup. I don't know if I can go."   
Buttercup rolled her eyes. "Ms. Keane, you don't have any other plans. C'mon, you haven't left this room since Saturday, have you?"   
"Well, no."   
"So it'll be fun to go out! Just us women, going out to see the action film event of the summer!" She pantomimed throwing a web like Spider-Man.   
Ms. Keane laughed at Buttercup's enthusiasm. "I've never been a fan of action movies, but I suppose it wouldn't hurt to get out for a few hours."   
"All right! I'll come over here around 7:30 so you can drive us to the theater."   
"It doesn't take an hour and a half to drive to the movies."   
Buttercup rolled her eyes. "But we have to get there early so we can get good seats. The showing's probably sold out by now."   
"All right, then. 7:30, Friday night. I'll be here." Buttercup nodded, then flew back out the window, towards her house. 


End file.
